Wisconsin Soccer Central

Bryan Ciesiulka (Marquette) came up through the Chicago Fire youth development system, so it's only fitting that he's joined a team affiliated with the Major League Soccer club.

The 23-year-old midfielder signed with USL expansion team Saint Louis FC, the team announced Friday. The third-division league previously was known as USL PRO, but rebranded itself as USL earlier this week and announced plans to seek second-division status from the U.S. Soccer Federation.

"I have followed Bryan's development through his entire youth career," Saint Louis FC coach Dale Schilly said in a news release. "With Bryan growing up in Chicago, I have seen him in his days with the Chicago Magic and the Chicago Fire Development Academy. He is a blue-collar player who will work on both sides of the ball, and is a perfect cultural fit for what St. Louisans value with their players."

Ciesiulka had nine goals and 17 assists in 69 appearances in his college career at Marquette, and was the Big East Conference Co-Midfielder of the Year as a senior in 2013.

"Bryan Ciesiulka is probably one of the best people, as well as one of the best players, we've ever had at Marquette," Golden Eagles coach Louis Bennett said. "He is the guy who was really able to help turn our program around."

He was selected by the Fire in the fourth round of last year's MLS SuperDraft (No. 75 overall) and spent some time in preseason camp with the team, but wasn't offered a contract. Ciesiulka spent time in Sweden last year, trialing with pro teams and playing for amateur club Gimo IF FK.

On Twitter: @bciesiulka

• Charles Kazlauskas (Milwaukee Thomas More) was back in the lineup after missing two games due to injury, but Helmond Sport's winless streak reached eight with a 5-1 loss to visiting Den Bosch on Friday night in the Netherlands. Kazlauskas played 77 minutes in his return for Helmond Sport (4-15-6), which is 0-6-2 since beating MVV 3-2 on Dec. 6 and has fallen to 19th in the 20-team Jupiler League with 13 matches remaining in the second-division league.